Good morning,

Here is today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

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Based on subscriber requests, at the bottom of the Texas Minute you will find coronavirus tracking and projection data from IMHE, state, and federal sources.

The latest models show the Chinese coronavirus can now be expected to claim approximately 68,000 lives in the United States. Meanwhile, published reports [[link removed]] say between 250,000 and 440,000 Americans die annually from medical errors.

Americans are ready to get back to work and can reliably “manage the risk for themselves, their families, and their neighbors,” writes three national figures – including Empower Texans board chairman Tim Dunn – in an open letter to President Trump published yesterday [[link removed]] at TownHall.com.

In the letter [[link removed]], Dr. Darrell Scott, Kareem Lanier, and Dunn write that Americans “don’t let central planners or experts decide for us.” Instead, the American people should be given reliable information so they can get America open again. Brandon Waltens has additional details [[link removed]].

It does not appear Gov. Greg Abbott is going to offer any leadership in getting the Lone Star State moving. His current plan is to wait for word from Washington on when he can act.

In the meantime, Abbott’s inaction has put the majority of Texans in the care of Democrats. Cary Cheshire explains [[link removed]] that of the Lone Star State’s 10 biggest cities—which contain roughly one-third of the state’s total population—the majority are run by Democrats. Abbott has allowed those Democrats to run roughshod over the state’s economy.

Grassroots activists are vocalizing their frustration [[link removed]] that Abbott’s only real economic plan has been to cut a deal with New York-based Goldman Sachs to offer debt to struggling Texas businesses.

“Small businesses would rather have customers & revenue than more debt. Don’t know why you lead with this rather than a detailed plan & goals for reopening in a safe & responsible manner,” former State Rep. Matt Rinaldi tweeted [[link removed]] at Abbott on Monday.

“We expected leadership. [Abbott] teased an announcement about getting TX back to work. Giving out small business loans is not what we wanted or asked for. How can he face the people if that's all he's got given the immense data available supporting opening things back up?” – Julie McCarty [[link removed]]

Austin blogger Adam Cahn has picked up [[link removed]] on a rising sentiment of barely-contained civil disobedience. Small businesses in Lubbock are preparing to re-open without government permission.

It seems the petty tyrants on city councils around the state have decided to pick winners and losers during the crisis. Winners are big-box chain stores with high-priced lawyers. Losers are locally-owned businesses.

Over Easter weekend, Fort Worth residents were told they were banned from worshipping together “in-person,” but an investigation by Robert Montoya [[link removed]] resulted in more questions, a change in the ban’s wording, finger-pointing from the police department and city attorney, and voters wondering what their city council actually supports.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice is not amused [[link removed]] by local governments targeting religious services. In a commentary on the Patriot Academy website, the organization’s founder Rick Green writes [[link removed]] of his disappointment with Gov. Greg Abbott for adopting a "draconian" approach that seeks "to control the 'ingress and egress' of every person within his Kingdom.”

“City, County, and State leaders are drunk with power right now as they do their best imitation of East Berlin in the Cold War.” – Rick Green [[link removed]]

Lubbock’s Roger Taylor writes [[link removed]] recent months have seen people sound alarm bells over fears of socialism. But, he argues [[link removed]], we have allowed socialism to creep in over many years, and much of it through our public institutions of education.

And Rachel Bovard writes [[link removed]] that it is time for Big Tech to untangle itself from the clutches of the Communist China government. Quote-Unquote

“The contest, for ages, has been to rescue Liberty from the grasp of executive power.”

– Daniel Webster

Today In History

On April 14, 1689, the Spanish governor of Coahuila – Alonso De León – came across a river near modern-day Victoria, Texas. He named the river “Guadalupe.”

Number of the Day

1,386,622​

Number of “COVID-19 Unemployment Claims Filed” with the Texas Workforce Commission since the week ending Feb. 22, 2020.

[Source: Texas Workforce Commission]

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Case Data

Current as of 5:00pm, 4/13/2020

​ Texas Data

Population: 28,995,881

Lab Confirmed Patients Currently In Texas Hospitals: 1,176

Reported Cases: 13,906

Patients Recovered: 2,269

Total Fatalities: 287

Texas State Department of Health Services

​ ​ Federal Data

Population: 328,239,523

Total Cases: 554,849

Total Fatalities: 21,942

Note: CDC counts as a COVID-19 death anyone who tests positive for the virus even if they possibly died from another cause.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

​ ​ IMHE Projections

Peak U.S resource use: April 10

Peak TX resource use: April 29

Projected Fatalities by 8/4/2020

U.S.: 68,841

TX: 2,704

Institute for Medical Health and Evaluation

​ ​ Influenza Data; 2017-18*

Total U.S. Cases (estimated): 45 million

Total U.S. Hospitalizations: 810,000

Total U.S. Fatalities: 61,000

* Most recent available.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [[link removed]]

​ Your Federal & State Lawmakers

U.S. Senator

John Cornyn - R

(202) 224-2934

U.S. Senator

Ted Cruz - R

(202) 224-5922

Governor of Texas

Greg Abbott - R

(512) 463-2000

Lt. Governor

Dan Patrick - R

(512) 463-0001

U.S. House, District

Update your address so we can show your congressman [[link removed]] -



Texas Senate, District

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Texas House, District

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Managed / Update Your Email Preferences [[link removed]] Request A Speaker [[link removed]] Contribute [[link removed]] Michael Quinn Sullivan

CEO, Empower Texans

Texas Scorecard & Texans for Fiscal Responsibility

​www.EmpowerTexans.com

www.TexasScorecard.com

(888) 410-1836

PO Box 248, Leander, TX 78646

PO Box 700981, Dallas, TX 75370

PO Box 12862, Odessa TX 79768 The Texas Minute is a quick look at the news and info of the day that we find interesting, and hope you do as well. It is produced on week days and distributed at 6 a.m. (though I'll probably take the occasional break for holidays and whatnot).

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